The death toll from the nightclub collapse in Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo has reached 221, with over 180 others injured, and distraught families gathered outside an overwhelmed morgue, desperately seeking answers about their loved ones.
The incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday during a concert by merengue singer Rubby Perez at the Jet Set nightclub, and the singer was among those killed in the incident, his manager said. His funeral, attended by President Luis Abinader and Latin music icon Juan Luis Guerra, took place on Thursday.
Local authorities launched an official investigation on Friday, meaning many of the victims' families have to wait for days to be able to take their loved ones home for burial.
Among them, Roger De La Rosa was witnessed pleading with the authorities to let him know if his sister is at the morgue and when he is going to be able to get her body.
According to him, he came to the site shortly after the incident happened. He told China Global Television Network correspondent that his sister was a professor.
"She was 45 years old," he said.
Jet Set is a popular nightclub in Santo Domingo which regularly hosts dance music concerts on Monday evenings.
Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, on Tuesday declared three days of national mourning to honor the victims, while an investigation to determine the cause of the deadly collapse is already underway.
Death toll in Dominican nightclub collapse reaches 221
Twenty-six people have been rescued after a nine-story building under construction collapsed early Sunday in Angeles City in the northern Philippines, according to local government authorities.
The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Angeles said 24 people were pulled from the collapsed structure, while two others were rescued from a nearby aparthotel struck by the incident. Rescue teams are still searching for any individuals who may remain trapped.
Emergency crews cut through layers of shattered concrete and twisted metal, pausing repeatedly to listen for signs of survivors beneath the wreckage.
"Our personnel from the search and rescue team who were conducting the initial assessment were the ones who heard the victims moaning in pain," said Maria Sajili, spokesperson of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Earlier reports said at least 30 people had been trapped under the building.
The Angeles City Information Office said the accident occurred around 03:00 local time, turning much of the site into a mountain of rubble.
Heavy rains and strong winds preceded the collapse, with 44 millimeters of rainfall recorded between 19:00 and 20:00 on Saturday, according to local atmospheric services.
Several workers managed to escape during the initial collapse, while others nearby suffered minor injuries. Emergency personnel from multiple agencies have since been deployed, but the officials said the effort remained extremely challenging.
Rescue crews are navigating unstable concrete slabs, tight voids within the wreckage, and the constant risk of further collapse.
"Challenges, of course, (include) the heat of the sun, and plus it's a massive construction -- concrete, steel and scaffoldings are very heavy and challenging for our responders," said Jay Pelayo, information officer of Angeles City.
Heavy machinery has been deployed to clear parts of the collapse site, but much of the rescue work is still being carried out by hand, with crews moving cautiously through the unstable wreckage in search of survivors.
Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the collapse. Authorities are now examining whether structural weaknesses, construction issues, or other factors may have played a role in the collapse.
26 rescued from building collapse site in N. Philippines
